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LGBTQ Members Welcomed at Mystic Valley Elder Services Monthly Social

Mystic Valley Elder Services
started Mystic Tea nearly eight years ago to provide an affirming, comfortable
gathering place for LGBTQ older adults and anyone who wants to meet, eat and
socialize with a lot of very interesting and welcoming people. And within that
time, participation in the monthly meetings has remained robust, and newcomers
to the Mystic Valley LGBTQ senior community have joined the gathering, finding
companionship, acceptance, and the enjoyment of shared experiences.

“It’s a space where you
don’t feel inhibited,” says Frank Lapiana, a regular participant in the group.
“You may have grown up in an environment where you were mistreated or where you
were made to feel like an outcast but this group setting is very comfortable
and welcoming.”

Mystic Tea is a gathering
for anyone with a focus on serving lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
older adults in the Mystic Valley region and beyond. LGBTQ Mystic Tea is held
on the third Tuesday of the month from 4 to 6 p.m. at Mystic Valley Elder
Services, 300 Commercial St., in Malden. LGBTQ Mystic Tea is open to LGBTQ
adults from anywhere in Massachusetts. The “tea” includes coffee, tea, and a hearty
meal, but more importantly, good company and conversation.

Frank says it’s a
comfortable group, always ready to make a first-timer feel welcome and
embraced. And he notes that for some of the participants, it’s the only
LGBTQ-specific space they ever encounter and they feel connected to each other.

For the several dozen
regular attendees of Mystic Tea, both male and female, the monthly event has
become central to their social calendars. Sometimes there are special guest
speakers, presentations on senior nutrition or help navigating Medicare. Many
of the members come every month and have made new friends.

“It gets you out of the
house and adds variety to your week,” says Christopher Mason. “Mystic Tea is a
place where I can be myself and feel comfortable in conversation.”

An important part of
independent living for older adults is community and/or family support. Too
often, however, LGBTQ seniors are alienated from their families, and do not
know how to find community members who would affirm their identities. Mystic
Tea creates a welcoming community space for these individuals to socialize,
develop trusting friendships, and build a peer support network.

Peer support and connection
have proven health benefits for seniors. A sense of community improves seniors’
emotional wellbeing and outlook, which in turn has a beneficial impact on
health—including appetite, activity, memory, and intellect. Mystic Tea provides
the members of our senior community with a safe and welcoming place to build
this peer support and share with each other.

The participants may enjoy
the meal served, but it’s the company that keeps folks coming back, month after
month and year after year.